Generally, markup languages enable users to define, among other things, the structure, visual appearance, and meaning of data. One common markup language for describing data is Extensible Markup Language (“XML”). XML is a general purpose specification that enables users to identify, exchange, and process various kinds of data. For example, XML may be used to create documents that can be utilized by a variety of application programs. Elements of an XML file may include a namespace and a schema. In XML, a namespace is commonly used to identify each class of XML document. Each XML document can use a namespace to enable processes to easily identify the type of XML associated with the document. The unique namespaces may also assist to differentiate markup elements that come from different sources and happen to have the same name.
XML schema provides a way to describe and validate data in an XML environment. A schema may describe what elements and attributes are used to describe content in an XML document, where each element is allowed, and which elements can appear within other elements. The use of schema ensures that an XML file is structured in a consistent manner. XML schema may be created by a user and is generally supported by an associated markup language, such as XML. By using an XML editor that supports schema, a user can manipulate the XML file and generate XML documents that adhere to the schema the user has created.
While XML provides these and other elements for describing data in a variety of ways, XML still has a number of significant drawbacks. For example, XML lacks functionality for defining how a system should handle data once it is received. In particular, XML cannot instruct a system to store, process, and present the data to users in a certain way. Instead, XML generally relies on each system to handle data according to the system's own configuration. Potential conflicts can occur when a group of computers collaboratively perform a complex computing process, for example. In particular, one computer may handle data in a way that is incompatible with other computers in the group. To compound the problem further, XML also lacks functionality for presenting data used by each system in a way that enables users to recognize and reconcile these potential conflicts. Moreover, XML is a generic markup language which can be used to give structure to information, but which does not innately assign any processing rules for that data.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the disclosure made herein is presented.